Isaiah 27:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet, it seems as if someone challenges this notion, exclaiming, ‘But Israel has committed great wickedness, has been harsh and obstinate, has murdered the saints, has persecuted every righteous individual and prophet, and is filled with bloodshed; how can they possibly flourish again, and how can their harvest fill the earth as if no transgression has occurred?’ In response, the prophet declares, ‘Is he who is struck, vulnerable, and as he himself is slain, shall he face death? He acted with relentless rage against the saints, slaughtering them mercilessly as if he had no pity. Will the Source of mercy treat them with the same severity, inflicting upon them the same fate and slaying them as they did to the saints?’ On the contrary, as God, He will triumph over them and will not completely annihilate Him who was once beloved and chosen for His fathers' sake. This truth was revealed through one of the holy prophets: ‘What shall I do for you, O Ephraim? Shall I protect you, O Israel? What shall I do for you? I will act towards you as I did with Adam and Seboim; my heart is turned within me, my compassion is stirred. I will not act according to the fury of my anger, I will not forsake to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man; in you I am holy’ (Hos. 11:8, 9). He who is God, distinct from man, clearly holds the ultimate position in mercy; as He surpasses all mankind in nature, it is fitting for Him to be exalted above the inhabitants of the earth. Thus, as previously stated, Israel will flourish and the universe will be filled with their fruits. For the measure of his death shall not be the same as that which he inflicted, nor shall he suffer in the same manner, despite being consumed by wild rage when he struck the saints. How deep is the indignation against them? Boiling and reproachful, He will release me. The phrase ‘will let them go’ signifies their being distanced from communion with Him. This was exemplified by the Saviour when He withdrew fellowship from Israel. Boiling denotes a form of rebuke. In reproaching and admonishing the Jews, the Saviour proclaimed, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I desired to gather your children, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house is left to you desolate’ (Matthew 23:37, 38). These words indicated more than a mere temporary separation from them. Consequently, Israel faced destruction, yet their remnant was preserved, as Isaiah stated: ‘And if the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved’ (Isaiah 10:22).

Therefore, it will be essential to lift this punishment, liberate God’s people from bondage, and restore them to their homeland. However, the question arises: how can this be achieved? The oppressors of God’s chosen people will not willingly set them free. It will necessitate intervention to rescue them, meaning a response to Babylon comparable to the suffering they inflicted on the Jews, subjecting it to the might of fierce and formidable adversaries. This notion is reflected in the prophet's astonishment: ‘shall the very one who smote others also be smitten, and he who killed, shall himself also be killed?’ Through his subsequent remarks, the prophet clarifies that Babylon can only be addressed through a response that mirrors its harsh treatment of the Jewish people.